First Batch Of Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Pilgrims Enters Tibet Via Lipulekh Pass

Pithoragarh, July 10: The first batch of pilgrims undertaking the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra entered Tibet from Uttarakhand on Friday after crossing the high-altitude Lipulekh Pass, officials said. The 48-member group crossed the Lipulekh Pass, located at an altitude of 17,500 feet, at around 9:05 am, according to officials from the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the nodal agency for the pilgrimage. Dharchula base camp officer-in-charge Dhan Singh Bisht said the batch includes 48 pilgrims along with a doctor and four support staff members. The first batch originally had 49 pilgrims, but one participant returned from the Gunji camp due to personal reasons. Meanwhile, the second batch of 47 pilgrims faced a delay due to a landslide near Lakhanpur, beyond Dharchula. Officials said the group was expected to reach Gunji by Friday evening and continue its journey after an overnight halt on Saturday morning.